Afterglow
by Felflowne
Summary: Summary - Set after the Gluhen storyline ends. Pairing: Ken/Omi. A new assassin steps onto the centre stage, but who is the target? And will Omi's heart freeze over for good? Please R&R! *COMPLETE*
1. 1 Surrounded by people, but always alone

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Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about. I also understand nothing of the penal system, and it shows. Have I missed anything? No, I don't think so. Onward.

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Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

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Chapter 1

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Surrounded by people, but always alone

'C'mon you lot! Exercise time!'

All along the row there came varying groans and mumbles, but gradually all the inmates shuffled out into the high-walled courtyard, where some blinked at the brightness compared with inside.

Although there had been groans at first, now most everyone seemed to perk up a little. A group over the far side was sorting out two teams for a basketball game.

'That's not fair,' complained one of the captains, 'whoever gets Hidaka on their team always wins!'

'Swap halfway though then, okay?'

'Yeah…Yeah okay.'

The man they were all talking about did not appear to be listening. He was looking at the sky. It was impossible to see anything else of the outside world.

'Hey you! Hidaka! You hear that?'

'Uh huh,' he said, his attention back on the game, 'let's do this.'

The game began, and very soon the youngest player had the ball, and dodged everyone else with cat-like grace to sink it in the basket. Whoops went up from his team.

'Nice one Hidaka!'

'Thanks Mogata,' the blue-eyed youth grinned and allowed the ball to be taken away from him, promptly to steal it back some ten seconds later.

When their time was up and they had to go back inside, neither side was ahead, the score was equal, but no one seemed to mind.

'That boy,' said an older inmate, who was in for armed robbery, 'what'd he do?'

His companion looked up in surprise.

'You mean you don't know? Murder. Multiple Homicide.'

The older man looked stunned.

'But he's so young!'

'Yeah, well, we were all young once,' said his mate non-committally, before turning away towards his own cell, 'later, Shuichi.'

*

Ken Hidaka had his own cell. All the murderers did, although he couldn't see why.

__

If a few of us kill each other so much the better eh? The prisons are overcrowded as it is.

A guard passed his cell and paused.

'Evening, Ken.'

Ken looked up and smiled slightly, 'good evening, sir.'

'I just heard you may be out of here soon,' said the guard, whose name was Daichi, in low tones, 'since you're a special case, and you've been so well-behaved since you got here.'

Ken smiled.

'I dream out being out of here, sir, but isn't this where I belong?'

The guard sighed.

'I don't think you killed those people, Ken.'

Ken lowered his gaze and said quietly, 'I did Daichi. I deserve everything I get.'

*

In the weeks that followed Daichi told Ken all he could about how his case was going.

'Will I need to go to court?' he asked.

'Not yet,' Daichi said, crouching down to pretend he was doing up his shoelaces, 'but I did hear that they're turning the whole case around. They want to get you out of here on grounds of insanity.'

Ken laughed mirthlessly.

'I'd wear a chicken on my head if need be.'

Daichi looked at him worriedly.

'Then I hope need doesn't.'

He walked on. Ken Hidaka was an odd case. He'd made no attempt to defend himself against the allegations, because, as he'd put it, 'isn't perjury _another _crime?'

He was so adamant that he had committed the crime. So why did Daichi feel that he shouldn't be in jail? It was, he decided, because of a strange, very sure feeling that Ken would never kill again. He carried on down the corridor, musing.

*

On the whole, Ken reflected, it wasn't too bad. The worst feeling he had was that of being trapped, which sounded stupid put that way - of course he was trapped, that was the _point _of prisons.

There were people here he got on with, like Daichi, and the other inmates. At least he was still with people, and not alone.

__

But I am alone.

He was the only surviving Weiss from his group. The others had all turned their backs. It hurt, but he couldn't hate them for it.

__

How can I hate them for being happy? Are they happy? I suppose in some ways, whomever I'm with, I'll be alone.

The sun lowered and set, and Ken lay down to try and sleep, although he knew that he would not be allowed to rest for some time yet.

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Yay, it's my mega long Gluhen fic which is actually complete! Took ages over this so please read and review!

Thanks!

-Fel

xx


	2. 2 Silent Knight

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Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

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Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 2

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Silent Knight

'I understand. Yes, thank you.'

Mamoru Takatori replaced the receiver and glanced over the papers in front of him.

Then, he unceremoniously gathered the whole lot into a big pile and put it on the floor.

'One of them is sick.'

'Badly?'

'I don't know. This will decrease the probability of success.'

His bodyguard stepped forward.

'I am always willing to help, Mamoru-sama.'

'I know, I had taken that into account.'

His bluntness didn't affect Nagi anymore. He bowed slightly.

'You wish me to go with them on the mission, Mamoru-sama?'

'Yes.'

'As you wish.'

Mamoru opened a drawer in his desk that was empty, removed the false bottom from it and handed some paper to Nagi without making eye contact.

'This is for them,' he said.

Nagi accepted the sheets silently.

Mamoru leaned down and picked the top sheet off the pile he had made on the floor.

'You can go now,' he said distractedly, not looking up as Nagi bowed again and left.

*

'The elections are next month,' said Mamoru's secretary earnestly, 'what are your plans?'

Mamoru turned.

'I need to cover an angle that no one else is. I thought maybe the prison crisis?'

The secretary nodded eagerly.

'Yes, that would be a good idea, um… What would be your plans for covering that angle?'

Mamoru looked out of the window.

'Is it possible to organise a meeting with the head of one of the prisons?'

The secretary ran her pen down her long list of contacts.

'Yes.'

'Then I'll do that,' Mamoru said, 'and maybe I'll take a walk around the prison too… Show I'm taking an interest.'

The secretary smiled grimly, knowing she couldn't be seen.

__

I've never seen you take a real interest in anything.

*

'Mamoru! Mamoru-sama!'

Mamoru sighed. He _really _hated this. The reporters clustered around him as he tried to make it to his car.

'What're your plans, Mamoru-sama? Do you have anything to say to the other candidates?'

Mamoru looked up into the sea of cameras and smiled.

'My plans are for a total reform of this area's penal system, an area neglected by the last leader.'

Pens scribbled madly. Mamoru used the slight distraction to wade towards the waiting car.

'Will you be visiting a prison, Mamoru-sama? If so, which one?'

'I will,' Mamoru confirmed, 'and I can tell you that it's the State Prison in this very city.'

'What date will you-?'

But Mamoru had reached the car and shut the door. He needed this move publicised, but he didn't want to be wading through press on the actual day.

The car pulled away slowly, scattering reporters, and made its way down the crowded streets towards home.

*

'Have you heard?'

Ken looked up from his breakfast. On the other side of the room the news had just finished and the guard had just turned off the television.

'Mamoru Takatori's coming _here_!'

'Why?'

'Isn't it obvious? The whole system's a shambles. The public will support a candidate who looks to do something about it.'

Ken continued to eat his breakfast, still listening.

'When's he coming?

'Didn't say. I suppose he doesn't want the press all over him.'

Someone laughed.

'He should be used to that by now!'

'Ha, yes, that's true. But I'm sure they'll tell us the date as soon as they know it.'

'Why would anyone tell _us_?'

A fair point, Ken thought.

'Well, they'll want the whole place cleared up won't they? Before some top-notch politician comes in.'

'I thought the point was that the prison was a mess…'

'A shambles,' corrected Shuichi, 'Mess is different.'

*

That night, Daichi came to talk to Ken like he always did.

'Did you hear the big news?'

Ken looked up.

'About Takatori-san? Yeah, I did.'

'He's coming on the 10th. Next week.' Daichi rubbed his forehead. 'It's a whole lot of stress I don't need.'

He turned to Ken.

'Got bad news for you as well. Apparently the warden's been told to choose an inmate for this guy to talk to, just for a few minutes, about how the system needs reform.'

'Is that a good idea?'

'Well, he picked you, so you tell me.'

Ken stared blankly at the wall.

'I have to talk to Takatori?'

__

Hmm… There were a lot of 'T's in that sentence, he thought idly.

'It won't be for long,' said Daichi, checking his watch, 'oh hey, I've gotta be moving on. Speak to you later.'

'Yeah, later,' said Ken vaguely.

*

'The mission was successful, Mamoru-sama,' said Nagi, bowing, 'although several of your Weiss were badly injured.'

Mamoru, as always, did not look up, so he did not see that Nagi himself was also hurt. His arm was tightly bound and blood had seeped through the bandages.

'Hospitalised?' said Mamoru.

'No, not quite.'

'Then maybe it was a mistake to start them with a mission so soon after their last one. It seems they couldn't cope.'

Nagi was stunned, Mamoru spoke as if he were talking about the weather.

'Tell them they're suspended from all missions for now.'

'Is that wise, sir?'

For a brief moment a trace of fatigue crept into Mamoru's voice.

'It better be. You can go now.'

*

Ken watched the patterns made by the streetlight through his window.

__

Mamoru Takatori is coming here? Good god, fate is a bitch.

He turned over and tried to think about something else, but it was no good.

***

__

'Ken! Ken, stop it! I'm so…hahahaha!' Omi shrieked as Ken tickled him mercilessly. He wriggled free and grabbed a hosepipe from behind the potting table.

'You will pay!' he cried, and promptly drenched Ken with it.

It was at that moment, when Ken was shaking his head like a dog to dry himself, and Omi was having to hold onto the table to stop himself falling over with laughter, that Aya came in.

He opened his mouth to reprimand them, then shrugged.

'You've gotta clean it up,' he mumbled, and walked out again.

Ken looked so bedraggled that Omi felt sorry for him. He dropped the hose, ran over to him and threw his arms around his neck.

Ken laughed.

'Omi, you'll get soggy too!'

'Don't care. I'm sorry!'

'Oh forget it, I mean, if I die of pneumonia, they'll…'

But Omi had shut him up by pressing his lips to Ken's, effectively halting the conversation.

Ken ran his fingers through Omi's hair as they continued to kiss, and smiled, pulling the other boy closer.

Omi pulled back.

'What is it?'

Ken hugged him tightly.

'I love you…' he said. Omi smiled.

'Yeah, I love me. I'm great.'

Then he burst out laughing again. He stopped, and leant up to kiss Ken once more.

'I love you too,' he said softly.

***

Lying on the thin mattress, Ken wasn't even aware of the tears that leaked out of his eyes and onto his pillow.

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Awww the angstiness. Sorry, I'm a Ken fangirl myself and I just hate to see him in pain…but it's for the good of the story. Onward.


	3. 3 Murderers don't deserve the air they b...

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Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

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Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 3

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Murderers don't deserve the air they breathe

'This way, sir.'

Mamoru followed the warden into his office.

'We're all very proud that you chose this establishment to visit, sir.'

'Yes,' said Mamoru vaguely, then remembering himself, added, 'I've heard good things about it,' then smiled.

*

After a short meeting with all the prison staff, one came forward and told him that he had been selected to take the councillor on a tour of the facility.

Mamoru, trailed by Nagi, followed the man.

His name badge read, 'Daichi Suguri.'

'Most of the inmates in this section are due for release pretty soon,' he explained. Sullen eyes watched as the little group passed.

'And what do the inmates think of the current system?'

Suguri turned.

'Why don't you ask one, sir? Follow me.'

He trotted ahead.

*

Ken heard the footsteps approaching. He was sat at a table trying to play chess with Shuichi, who was a master and was therefore whipping him.

'God I suck,' said Ken, but he didn't seem too bothered.

'You shouldn't've taken that pawn,' said Shuichi, checkmating him.

'I thought the point was to take your stuff.'

'Only when it'll go towards a complete victory. You need to look ahead.'

'Yeah, well, I've never been much good at that,' Ken said, with a small smile.

'Hidaka?'

Ken froze. Daichi only called him that if someone important was listening. He turned.

'Jesus Christ!' exclaimed Shuichi, 'Mamoru Takatori!'

Daichi didn't look very happy.

'The councillor would like to ask you some questions about the prison, from an inmate's perspective, okay?'

Nagi looked at the man in surprise.

__

He talks to him like an equal… Like a friend…

Ken nodded, and went to stand up.

'You can stay sitting,' said Mamoru briskly, but Ken stood anyway and bowed politely.

'What are your views on the way the system runs at the current time?'

Ken appeared to think, when in fact his thoughts couldn't be further from the topic.

'It's pretty crowded,' he said finally, 'but I guess that isn't the council's fault.'

'Food's crap,' murmured Shuichi, too quietly to be heard.

'How long have you been here?'

'Nearly two years, sir.'

Nagi was amazed.

__

What're the odds…?

'Do you have any complaints about the way this prison operates?'

'I think…' said Ken slowly, 'that everyone's mood would be lifted if we could see the outside.'

__

Is he still the same boy I fell in love with? No, no he's changed…

Shuichi looked up and mouthed, 'You what?'

'Or maybe,' Ken said, smiling sadly, 'that's just me.'

Mamoru asked him a few more questions, which he answered automatically, and as honestly as he could. The whole time he kept his gaze lowered, looking at his shoes.

The party moved on.

'Cat got your tongue, boy?' laughed Shuichi as Ken sat back down. Ken jumped slightly.

'Cat…? Oh yeah, something like that.'

'You didn't meet his eye once.'

'He wasn't looking at me either.'

'How did you know if you weren't looking at him?'

'Just a guess. Most outsiders think they're above us, don't they?'

'That's true,' grunted Shuichi as he began to replace pieces on the chessboard, 'you want another game?'

Ken couldn't think of anything he wanted to do less. He'd just seen Mamoru! He wanted to crawl away and die. The indifference that had laced his voice stung even now.

With gargantuan effort, Ken pulled a smile back onto his face.

'You're on, but you know you'll win.'

'Of course I do, but this time, son, I'll walk you through how I do it.'

**

'Odd that, isn't it sir?'

They were back in the car.

'What?' asked Mamoru dismissively. His head was hurting, and his brain buzzed with questions he didn't want to answer.

'Seeing Siberian. I was wondering what the odds were.'

'Ha, yes.'

Nagi sighed silently and looked out of the window. The topic appeared to be closed. It was a rare feat that he ever managed to have any kind of conversation with the other man. He seemed to have cut himself off from everyone. Not that he was in any position to criticise… He was hardly Mr Talkative, but Mamoru… Well, there was detachment, and there was indifference…

**

'Hidaka! Hey!'

Ken sighed. He was now thoroughly sick of re-running his conversation with the politician, as _everyone_ had wanted to hear about it. This time was no exception.

He told the curious person everything that had been said a few times, until he seemed satisfied and left him alone again.

*  


That night, as he lay on his bed, he wondered why Fate had led him to meet Mamoru that day. He turned over.

'Bitch,' he murmured disconsolately. Then, with his brain reliving random memories no matter how often he tried to blot them out, he fell into a restless sleep.

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Nothing to say here…and if I bore you with this you won't read more! *shuts up*


	4. 4 Enter the Tigress

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Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about. This chapter introduces my own character - please be nice to her - and her past will be explained. Ken knows her from his childhood and his time in Weiss. No one else in Weiss knows her.

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Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 4

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Enter the Tigress

Ken stayed in the game room during visiting day. No one was left to come and visit him. No one had come the past god knows how many times, so why should today be any different?

Oddly, it was.

Daichi stuck his head around the door.

'Ken! Visitor.'

Ken was stunned. He got up slowly and walked towards the door.

__

Who would be visiting me? Could it be Mamoru? NO! Don't be so stupid. Then who?

As he entered the room he saw several other inmates sat opposite their visitors. Some were holding hands across their tables. He scanned the room.

__

Surely I'd **recognise** my visitor?

And then he did. She was sat at an empty table, but when she saw him she stood up and waved.

It was then that Ken truly appreciated how much he'd wanted to see a familiar person who was glad to see him.

He moved quickly across the room and threw his arms around the girl. They hugged for a second then took their seats again.

'Alishe! How did you find me?'

'I have my sources,' said Alishe, her grass-green eyes twinkling.

__

Yeah, the Kritiker network I'll bet, thought Ken with a slight smirk.

'I wonder, are your sources aware that they're being useful?'

Alishe answered that with a light laugh, then turned serious.

'How are you holding up? I'm sorry I couldn't come to see you until now.'

'I'm okay. A bit lonely, I guess, but what d'you expect, being in here.' He glanced around.

'You know, you could be out of here a lot quicker than you think,' said Alishe innocently. Ken glared briefly at her.

'I don't want to be out until I've paid for my crimes.' He said firmly. Alishe laughed again.

'You want to be in here for the rest of your life?' she asked softly so she couldn't be heard. Ken looked away.

'You know what I mean.'

She waved her hand. 'Fine, fine, the offer's there, alright? Listen, I hear Mamoru Takatori came in here the other day.'

Ken nodded to confirm this.

'And he spoke to _you_? Now what are the odds of that?'

'I asked myself the very same question,' said Ken wearily. Alishe looked at him worriedly.

'How are you?' she asked softly.

'Coping,' said Ken. He dropped his voice again. 'It hurt like hell, Alishe. It's like he's someone else.'

'He is someone else now, Ken.' But Ken shook his head.

'No… He'll never really be gone.' He seemed to shake himself. 'So anyway, what have you been up to, little kitten?'

Alishe grinned.

'Keeping busy, Ken-kun, keeping busy. Got this new assignment, turning out to be a real bitch…' she paused to make sure Ken had got the full meaning of those words. He had.

__

She's got a new mission.

'Who's your new boss?' he asked. She shrugged.

'You could say I'm self-employed.'

Ken's eyes widened in shock.

'Don't look like that!' she exclaimed in amusement, 'it's just a one-off!'

'Even so…' muttered Ken.

'Sorry if it offends you, but this is just something I need to do. It's personal.'

Ken's worries were not soothed.

__

If she starts killing whoever she feels like, she's gonna get into serious trouble.

But even these worrying thoughts couldn't detract from how GLAD he was to see her. She'd been his close friend ever since they were kids, and finding her again when he was in Weiss, discovering she led the same type of life as him, and now, her coming to find him again… It was too great.

'You know what?' he said quietly to her, 'it's like we'll never be separated, you know? We'll always be together in some way.'

'Damn right,' she laughed, 'you can't get rid of me!'

It was time for her to leave. She stood up and hugged Ken tightly again.

'I'll come next time as well okay? Tell everyone I'm your girlfriend if they ask… it's probably easier.'

Ken nodded and sniffed slightly. Her hair smelled the same way it always had, like leaves.

She pulled away.

'See you then, Ken-kun,' she said as she followed the trail of leaving visitors.

'Bye Alishe, you have no idea how glad I was to see you, thanks!' He waved once more before she was through the door and gone.

**

Several people commented on how lucky Ken was to have such a cute visitor, and he smiled.

__

Yeah, Alishe is cute, isn't she? I tend not to notice…

__

Typical of her, offering to bust me out like that…

I wonder what her new assignment is?

*

**Weiss personal information - Code Name Bengal**

Nagi scrolled down, bored. He'd been told to do research and become the authority on all the Weiss organisations. Then some files could be deleted, if the information was safe in his head. He'd gone back to the earliest record he could find.

The very first Weiss, he discovered, had not been Shuichi Takatori's one. Grandfather Takatori, in his slight unhinged-ness, had allowed the son of Reiji Takatori - Masafumi - to be in charge of the very first one.

His stomach churned slightly as he saw the other pictures of the members. Masafumi had obviously been playing with them. They were all hideous, and, according to the data, completely dead, apart from one, who appeared to be neither.

Bengal.

Bengal didn't seem to be deformed, and no date of death was recorded. Presumably, then, Bengal was still alive. He read on.

Masafumi's notes on Bengal worried him.

'Note 1 - Bengal appears to be upset by the experimentation. Believes it is unnecessary. Has also not allowed me to experiment further, instead threatening to kill me if I so much as try. There remains, however, much room for improvement.

'Note 2 - Bengal has attempted to quit the group, but was forcibly retained by the other members, who remain loyal to me. If these incidents continue I will be forced to be more firm.'

Nagi shuddered slightly. Masafumi's madness carried through the seemingly sane words.

'Note 3 - Bengal has escaped. Left only one thing in the centre, a note swearing revenge on the noble Takatori family, but mainly on the person in the position of Persia, which is me. The letter is badly spelled and untidy but I believe the wish is to scrub out me, as well as any Persias who follow. Bengal is dangerous, and very strong.'

Nagi sighed. Bengal must be dead then. If revenge had been sworn on all Persias, then surely Shuichi or Mamoru would've been attacked. Reiji had killed Shuichi, and no attempt to assassinate Mamoru had been made by this Weiss. Being the head of security, Nagi had personally overseen all measures taken to protect Mamoru-sama, and this assassin had not appeared.

However, out of habit, he memorised the picture before deleting the file.

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To anyone who is worried I say merely DO NOT BE SO! This is purely Ken/Omi, this new character is NOT a love interest *shudders* Ken going out with a GIRL?

Yuriko: Er…Ahem?

Felflowne: *squashes her*

Yuriko: *is squashed and therefore no further threat to Ken and Omi's relationship*


	5. 5 Predator

****

Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about. A murderer out of jail in two years? I know it just wouldn't happen, but please try to accept it… I didn't want to make this any longer than it already is going to be…

****

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 5

__

Predator

In the darkness of the alley, a slight figure glanced at a piece of paper.

'This is the one.'

They reached up using a plank with a nail in it and pulled down one of the two fire escapes. Leaping gracefully from rung to rung with the minimum of noise, they soon arrived at a window, where they crouched, and waited.

*

Inside the main office at the party headquarters, two figures were sitting.

'I'm nearly done,' said Mamoru to Nagi, 'just this one.'

He skim-read the document in front of him.

Nagi laced his fingers in his lap. He heard a door rattle in a draught.

*

The figure swore and stilled the door, which had been set rattling on its hinges by a draught from the window they'd just come in through.

Then, opening the door silently and slipping into the corridor, the figure pulled a black balaclava over their face, obscuring it totally.

Padding softly down the corridor and listening intently for any noises, the figure settled behind a large filing cabinet and awaited their prey.

*

'Okay, done.'

Mamoru threw the paper disdainfully in his 'out' tray and stood up, but as he made for the door Nagi stopped him and put a finger to his lips.

Mamoru nodded and walked the other way, opened the window and exited the building via the emergency exit.

*

The figure in the corridor had no idea they had been sussed. They continued to wait, and then they heard the door handle turn. In the obscurity of the corridor, recognition was difficult, but it didn't matter. All who were subservient even would pay.

There was a soft kind of squelching noise as Nagi stepped into the corridor. Then he saw it! A huge dark shape, which seemed to be growing!

'Who's there?' he called, and to his amazement, was answered.

'Do you serve Persia?'

Nagi hissed. The shape appeared to have stopped growing, but when it spoke, the voice seemed thicker than it should have.

'Answer my question, do you serve Persia?'

'I'm his bodyguard.'

There was a blood-chilling snarl.

'Then you will die.'

Then everything seemed to happen very fast. Nagi cocked his gun and fired, but missed, as a massive shape pounced. Screwing up his mind like a fist he forced it back a few paces.

__

A lion? Some kind of big cat!

The creature fought against his protective shield, managing to gain a few steps. Nagi scrambled back and fired again. This time he heard the bullet hit flesh, and the animal snarled furiously and backed away.

__

A tiger… it's a tiger

Nagi was confused. He was sure he hadn't let the animal close enough to wound him, yet his shoulder throbbed uncomfortably. He dismissed it.

The animal seemed to have realised that it was not going to win this time. It began to back away slowly. Nagi followed it, pointing his gun the whole time at the creature's head. The corridor was too narrow for it to turn around, but…

The squelching noise rang in his ears again as the tiger seemed to melt, only to be replaced by a short figure dressed head to toe in black, and wearing a black balaclava.

They stared at each other. Nagi realised the hand holding his gun was shaking slightly, and stilled it.

Then the figure dived for the open window! Nagi fired, ran to the window, leaned out and fired again. He was pretty sure he hit the would-be assassin creature at least twice more as they reverted back to their feline form and ran like hell out of the alley and away.

The pain in his shoulder intensified.

**

'Next month?'

'Yes.'

The warden handed the important looking letter to Ken, who took it and attempted to read it, but the legal jargon was a mystery to him.

__

Omi would've had to decipher this for me… he thought with a slight smile.

He knew what it was about though, parole. He was eligible for parole next month.

He knew it was unusual. Normally murderers did the full sentence. There must be something strange about him.

'You've made the news, Ken,' said the warden. Unlike his guards, who more than likely called prisoners by their surnames only, the warden made a point of only using first names.

'We'll release you two hours before normal, then we won't get a riot on our doorstep.'

Ken nodded. This was a big favour. His head was filled with thoughts. Where would he go? What would he do?

He just didn't know, but anything was better than here.

**

Nagi was stationed in his normal spot just outside the main office. This was the same door he'd stepped out of just a few days ago, only to be confronted with some kind of demon that'd attempted to kill him because he served Persia. The strange unexplained pain he'd felt had ceased to worry him, as it had faded almost to nothing now.

Mamoru-sama, he reflected, had not seemed to care much one way or another about this. After checking that Nagi was alright (although even this, Nagi could tell, was more out of tradition than any real concern) and resecuring all windows and fire escapes, he'd simply moved on, and didn't refer to the incident. 

Nagi sighed silently and retrieved an object from under his chair.

Nagi read his paper. He was surprised to find he actually enjoyed doing this. The papers were not always full of doom and gloom, and it did well to distract him from what seemed to be the inescapable cycle of life and death he rode through every day.

But then again…

He cursed quietly and folded the paper, before knocking on Takatori-san's office door.

As soon as the call to come in was heard, he stepped quickly into the room and shut the door behind him.

'They're going to release Hidaka.'

Mamoru looked up and his brow furrowed.

'Is that a problem?'

'Security,' said Nagi shortly, 'anything he may have said inside will not make it to outside…the other inmates would've thought he was insane, but outside… He may have a greater influence.'

'You think he'd try to do something? To undermine Kritiker?'

'Revenge is his style,' said Nagi simply.

Mamoru thought.

'Yes,' he said finally, 'have him watched. He may have to be detained if it looks like there's danger.'

Nagi nodded, whilst being internally surprised. He'd expected to have to fight against Mamoru to have Siberian watched. He'd expected Mamoru to stand up for him in some way… But then again, he remembered his boss' behaviour inside the prison and realised something he should have a long time ago.

Omi Tsukiyono was dead.

*********************************************************************************************

Ohh my attempts at slyness make even me cringe. Can you tell I don't like Mamoru Takatori? Just everything about his personality drives me crazy! Don't deny it! You're still Omi!!

*pants*

Ahem.


	6. 6 Freedom

****

Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

****

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 6

__

Freedom

It was a painfully bright spring day when Ken Hidaka stepped out of the State Prison, technically a free man. He blinked almost childishly in the piercing sunlight as he hoisted his shoulder bag up**. **

__

I'm out. I've been dreaming of this for so long, and it's finally happened, so why am I not happy?

I don't deserve to be happy.

**

Nagi watched from a rooftop a few hundred metres away as Ken began to walk away from the prison. No one had come to meet him, he was truly alone in the world now.

Nagi hadn't been fooled by the normal release time. He had suspected that the time expected would not be the correct one, so he had been on the rooftop all morning.

__

What a way to spend a morning, he thought to himself, _and now I'm supposed to follow him as he wanders aimlessly around…_

**

The sound of screeching tyres jerked Ken abruptly out of his numb reflections.

He looked up, and despite himself a smile appeared on his face.

__

That is one nice car.

The car was black, with no roof. He recognised it as a Mercedes Kompressor. To his surprise, however, it did not squeal past the gates, but turned sharply in between them, entering the small car park in front of the prison.

With a crunch of gravel, the car stopped right next to him, and Alishe took off her sunglasses and grinned.

'Quit gawping and get in, Hidaka, I'm wasting petrol here!'

'A-Alishe!'

'That's me. You didn't think I'd leave you here, did you?'

'You didn't come…' Ken said amazedly. This was referring to the other visitor's days.

Her face fell.

'I'm sorry. I haven't been well… So come on! Throw your stuff in the back seat and let's get out of here!' 

**

Nagi snatched at the small pair of binoculars he kept around his neck whilst on surveillance.

__

Who's this?

**

Alishe was behaving oddly. She wouldn't look at Ken, or towards the chain link fence on the far side of the car park, opposite the prison, but Ken found he didn't care.

After hugging her to hard she protested, he sat in the left-hand side of the car as Alishe sat in the driver's side, and replaced her sunglasses. They were quite big, and the phrase 'you should have gone to Specsavers,' came into Ken's head.

As soon as the sunglasses were on, Alishe seemed happier, although Ken barely had time to notice before she floored the accelerator and screamed out of the car park.

**

On his rooftop, Nagi let the binoculars fall.

She'd known… She'd _known_.

She must've known he was there. He hadn't managed to get one good look at the woman's face in the whole time she'd spent in the car park, she'd never looked his way, and those big sunglasses had almost completely obscured her face shape.

__

She knew I was here…

Nagi was unaccustomed to being sussed out. Normally he outsmarted other people.

**

Alishe took off her glasses after a while, just as they pulled up in front of a tower block.

'Why wouldn't you look at me?' Ken asked as he retrieved his bag from the back seat.

Alishe looked at him shrewdly.

'Because we were being watched, couldn't you feel it? I suspected they might be keeping an eye on you. I sure as hell don't want them to know that it's _me _that's taken you in.'

'Would they know you?' asked Ken, as Alishe punched the code in for the door. He had forgotten that Alishe was a mild psychic. It didn't pay to knock her hunches.

'Pays to be careful,' she answered, 'but anyway, enough about that. You can stay with me for as long as you like, and I promise not to be mortally offended if you wanna get your own place.'

'This is so kind of you,' said Ken hopelessly, 'I don't know how I'm ever gonna be able to repay you.'

Alishe just smiled.

'Hey, forget it, anything for my little oni-chan,' she laughed, reaching up to ruffle his hair.

'Hey!' protested Ken, but followed her up the stairs towards the fourth floor. Then he thought of something.

'You said you hadn't been well, are you okay now?'

She nodded.

'Didn't take long… Hang on…'

He watched in amazement as she suddenly lashed out with her foot at a door. There was a slight click. Then she inserted a key and turned it. The door opened.

'Sticks in the damp,' she explained, closing it carefully behind Ken as he walked in.

'About not being well, you see, I wasn't exactly sick…'

'You were hurt?'

Ken watched as she sat down in an armchair and then motioned for him to do likewise.

'It wasn't too bad,' she said dismissively, 'can't complain, just I couldn't really turn up to visit you like that. People would've talked.'

Ken noticed that her right shoulder seemed bulkier than it should have, as if there were bandages under her clothes.

'The bitch mission?' he asked.

'Hah! Yeah, it is as well. Didn't exactly go as planned.'

'I really don't think you should…'

But Alishe put up a hand to stop him, thinking as she did it that it would never have silenced the Ken that she'd known before.

'Please Ken, don't get involved. You're well shot of this kind of stuff now, or at least you deserve to be. Another month, and it'll all be over, no sweat, then, hopefully, I can get shot of it too.'

'Instead of just getting shot.'

'Hah! Yeah, precisely. You hungry?'

*********************************************************************************************

Hmm… Lots of Alishe in this one…Well, the story doesn't really work without her so…Sorry! Don't worry! There is Ken Omi stuff coming!

Readers: Like we care.

Felflowne: *beats all undeserving readers away leaving only loyal good ones like Kasra, Kara and Charlie*


	7. 7 Crisis averted…for now

****

Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

****

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 7

__

Crisis averted…for now

Ken woke up, half expecting to see the now familiar pattern of sunlight through a wall grating.

As it was, he saw a green wall with a picture of a baby on it.

He was in Alishe's second bedroom, which she'd hastily cleared after taking him in three months ago. The baby was Alishe's little brother Naworu, he knew that from the name written under the picture, but Alishe never seemed to want to talk about him, and, being conscious of what it was like to be nagged, Ken dropped it.

He rolled out of bed and walked sleepily into the bathroom, only to emerge around ten minutes later ready to face the day.

Alishe was out today, he remembered her saying, but she'd only just left.

It was 9 o'clock, and she'd said she was going at quarter to. Maybe it had been her leaving that had woken him up.

He glanced up at the picture again, and noticed that the baby seemed to be missing a bit from the side of his left hand. He'd heard about that. It was a simple genetic defect. Otherwise the baby was worryingly cute.

**

He walked into the living room, and his sharp eyes caught sight of a piece of paper sticking out from under the sofa. He retrieved it and turned it over.

It was a map of a building, with all the exits marked in red, including some that weren't immediately obvious.

Alishe's neat scrawl had labelled some. Next to the fire escape outside what seemed to be a large room, she written -_ 'He must have gone this way before, disable it.'_

This is… her mission…

And then he realised. He traced and retraced the shape of the building with his finger, running imaginary walkthroughs… Then he was sure. He stuffed the paper back under the sofa and grabbed his coat.

Alishe had gone to Kritiker.

**

Alishe was almost at her destination now. Her fingers closed around the spares she had inside her coat. She wouldn't risk going in unarmed again. This time she would be successful. No one would expect a hunter to attack during daytime, especially a hunter of the night.

She turned a corner.

**

Ken ran the whole way, thinking as he did that it was lucky he'd been able to keep reasonably healthy whilst inside, and therefore had only a little extra work to do once he got out. 

He was catching up fast, he knew it, but he had to get ahead and apprehend her without her being suspicious. He knew this area well. Looking around, and not dropping below a sprint, he ducked into an alleyway and leapt over a wall.

**

__

They'll pay… Takatoris…think they're gods do they? That they can play with people's lives?

Her hand slipped into her pocket and pulled out her driving gloves. She pulled them on.

__

I left the old one alone… Shuichi… He did his best… he never did what Masafumi…

She almost gagged at the sound of his name.

__

…and this one…Mamoru. Playing with lives is one thing, but to do so without any kind of care or guilt…

Her eyes narrowed.

__

…and he…what he did to Ken…I can't stand to see him so broken…I'll get you, Takatori!

**

Ken had to stop to get his breath back. He'd managed it. He was ahead of Alishe by about a minute now, long enough to distract her from whatever she was doing.

__

Why would she be going to Kritiker? Somehow I don't think it'll be for a goodwill call. If she's trying to damage Kritiker she may hurt Mamoru.

He had his breath back, and stood up straight again.

__

And I can't let that happen.

He ducked behind a bush, ready to walk out innocently as Alishe passed.

**

Not far away, the Kritiker agent who was on surveillance that morning had been watching Ken for a while.

They reported the incident to Nagi when they spotted Alishe. He'd asked a while ago for agents to keep an eye out for her.

'Sir? That girl… Bengal. She's coming.'

Nagi was there almost immediately, and he and his subordinate watched what happened next.

**

Alishe had her eyes set on her goal, so she was totally unprepared when Ken walked into her. Indeed, she was so spooked she almost kebabbed him.

'Oh! Sorry!' cried Ken, then he said, 'Hey, Alishe! What are you doing in this part of town?'

__

What are **you **doing here? Alishe thought, but decided to play it cool.

'On my way to the bank,' she said, pointing.

'Cool, I need to go there too,' Ken said smiling, 'you wanna have a day in town?'

__

Damn… thought Alishe, _I can hardly say no or he'll be suspicious since he now thinks I'm going to town anyway…_

'Sure!' she said brightly, and they began to walk again, past the building in question and into the centre of town.

**

'She's been sighted around here several times in the last week, sir,' said the agent who had called Nagi, 'why is she showing such an interest?'

'She's a rogue assassin,' said Nagi.

The other agent spluttered, 'but she's only about five foot five! Are you su…?'

'Yes,' said Nagi.

Siberian had apprehended her on purpose and led her away. Does he still have loyalty to Kritiker? Or to Mamoru-sama? That kind of thing could land him in serious trouble.

**

Nagi told Mamoru about everything that had happened.

'I think she's after you, sir, and I think she's the one who broke in here a few months back.'

'I see,' said Mamoru, 'so what should we do?'

'I'm watching her as much as I can, but there's a kind of protection around her that makes it hard for me to trace her.'

'Can you break through it?'

'I'm not strong enough,' said Nagi, with a hint of regret.

'So she's out to kill me…' said Mamoru, his voice trailing off.

__

Well, she'll have her work cut out for her… I wonder why she's after me…

Nagi looked at the head of Weiss for a second.

__

She hunts those with no compassion in their soul.

*********************************************************************************************

Yeah Mamoru you heartless bastard!

Charlie: *cries* Don't you say that to him! *strokes Mamoru's hair*

Well he's alright, but when he goes into his 'I'm a politician and I have no feelings' mindset I just see red. Hmph. 


	8. 8 The Killing Fields

****

Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

****

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 8

__

The Killing Fields

It was mid-afternoon by the time the two housemates got home. As soon as the shops had closed, they'd _had _to go home. She could hardly use the excuse of 'I'm just popping over to the shop that closed ten minutes ago'.

They entered Alishe's flat and put away their purchases. Neither of them had anything planned that evening, so Alishe seized it as her opportunity to ask Ken a few choice questions about a certain old friend of his.

She started the conversation as they were sat watching the television.

'Hey, Ken?'

He looked up.

'Do you still say prayers for Omi?'

He nodded.

'Every night.'

'Even though he's still alive?'

'Yeah,' Ken said, 'It puts my mind a little more at rest than it would be otherwise.'

Alishe sipped her tea.

'You're either really strong or really stupid,' she said levelly, 'to go on caring for someone who's betrayed you in such a way.'

Ken kept his eyes on the TV.

'He never betrayed me.'

'Right, right.'

He turned to face her, anger rising in his voice.

'He did what he had to do!'

'You really believe that?'

'Yes!' At this point he made a special effort to calm down.

'So you're telling me,' Alishe said with forced cheerfulness, 'that he had absolutely no choice at all whether or not to take the position of Persia? That he had _no _say in the matter? Well that's bullshit, Ken, I can tell you that right now!'

'There always has to be a Persia,' Ken said, but some of his sureness had vanished.

'There's nothing anyway that says Persia has to be a cold, indifferent, emotionless bastard.' Alishe said flatly, becoming aware that there was only so long she could keep doing this before Ken blew up on her.

He surprised her.

'I guess not,' he said sadly.

Alishe looked up, rage burning in her eyes.

'Look! Look what he's done to you! You used to be so fiery and temperamental for God's sake!'

Ken had no answer for that.

'Do you love him?' She asked coldly. He nodded. She shook her head, churning with fury and sadness.

'He sure as hell doesn't deserve someone like you loving him.' She said finally.

__

He ruined you… And that's why I'll kill him. It's for the best. The world doesn't need people like you, Mamoru Takatori…

They returned their attention somewhat distractedly to the TV.

'He's made you unhappy, Ken. There was a time when that would have meant something to you.'

'I don't deserve to be happy,' Ken said, 'I'm a murderer.'

'Fuck you,' said Alishe, tears threatening to fall as she stood up.

Ken watched as she walked out. This was good, he'd kept his temper, he was getting better and better at doing that these days. Words just seemed to bounce off of him, leaving no indentations.

**

__

This time I won't fail.

It was two nights after Alishe's pseudo-argument with Ken, and it had strengthened her desire to complete her mission.

It was late as she slipped out of the door, pulling it to.

**

Ken woke up.

__

Shit, she's gone again. Gotta stop her.

If she gets hurt, or if anyone in Kritiker does… I won't be able to live with myself knowing I could have prevented it…

**

Alishe was sly this time. She avoided all the lookouts and got inside with little trouble. With a simple sweep she ascertained that the spooky bodyguard who'd shot her last time was on the other side of the building.

Being able to sweep was, she decided, a very useful thing indeed.

She froze as she heard the sound of breathing, slipping almost noiselessly into her feline form so as to pick it up better.

__

I could **almost **thank Masafumi for this…

With better ears, she not only knew that the breathing was in this corridor, but also that it belonged to a young male. Her ears flattened against her skull.

__

Takatori…

**

Ken ran as fast as her could, but he knew there was no hope of catching her this time. She'd twigged what he'd done last time, and had taken steps accordingly.

__

I'm doing exactly what she told me not to… Getting involved again… But I have no choice… Two people I love are already involved… Like it or not, it's my duty..

Kritiker came into view.

__

Please God, let me be in time…

'If you want to live longer than a few seconds more, I suggest you stop moving.'

Ken stopped abruptly and looked up. Standing on the pavement at the corner of the building, his gun trained on a spot between Ken's eyes, stood Mamoru's bodyguard, Nagi Naoe.

'Why are you here?' He asked coolly.

Ken fought to get his breath back.

'Na-Naoe-san,' he gasped, 'Alishe's trying to kill Mamoru-sama!'

'Alishe?' Nagi enquired with a raised eyebrow. Ken nodded.

'Bengal, yes… you…You've got to stop her, but please, please don't hurt her!'

'I make no promises,' said Nagi flatly, but as he turned to go, Ken caught his arm.

'Let me come too, she listens to me… I might be able to stop her…'

'A few of these should stop her,' said Nagi, tapping his gun barrel.

'You didn't let me finish… I was going to say, 'stop her killing everyone in the building,' you see?'

Nagi's mouth moved silently, then he turned swiftly.

'Come on.' 

**

Mamoru's mobile phone bleeped, and he picked it up.

'Yes?'

'Sir, the assassin, she's back. Stay where you are.'

Mamoru looked around. He was in the corridor outside his office. He suddenly felt that this was a really bad place to be.

'I'm going to try and bar myself into the office,' he said levelly, reaching for the door handle.

'Fine, but be careful sir. I'm on my way.'

Nagi hung up.

Mamoru reached for the door handle, but something stopped him. It was a snarl, deep and soft, yet menacing.

His hand moved instinctively to his inside pocket, but of course, it was empty. He hadn't carried darts there for over a year. He was totally unarmed. His eyes swept the corridor. It was empty.

**

Alishe had got into the ceiling pretty easily, as the tiles simply lifted up. Once she was sure that she had the right victim, she changed back to human and pulled herself into the ceiling, crawling silently along the metal girders inside until she was almost directly over her prey. Then she let herself change a little to give to warning growl, but not too much or she'd bring the roof down with the tiger's weight.

Judging the time, she dropped down behind Mamoru, changing as she fell. 

**

Mamoru could feel eyes on him, but he couldn't hear or see anything at all. Then, all of a sudden, a soft thump resounded behind him. As he turned, he beheld a two metre long Bengal tiger. His breath caught in his throat. This was _primal _fear he was feeling. Then it all seemed to go insane.

'Mamoru Takatori.' The tiger said in a low, female voice.

'Yes,' he said, unsure of what was happening.

The tiger crouched.

'Tonight you will pay for what you have done.' The tiger spread its claws so Mamoru could see them all.

'And what have I done?' he asked boldly. That was a mistake. Alishe snarled.

'You RUIN lives without a single care! You completely destroy people then throw them away as if they were toys! Is that what they were _Persia-san?_ Were they all toys to you? This is what your indifference has earned you!'

Mamoru stepped back.

__

She knows about Weiss.

'It's my mission to deny you your tomorrow, Takatori,' said Alishe.

Mamoru faced her. He wasn't going down without a fight. He watched numbly as she crouched, ready to spring…

Then the door beside him burst open and people ran in. Before he could recognise them he himself was grabbed from behind and thrown to one side. He felt the rush of air as the massive tiger blew past him and landed heavily, claws outstretched, onto someone else.

There was a strangled yell of pain, but Mamoru was pulled to his feet by Nagi.

'Hurry, Mamoru-sama, in here!' He pulled him towards a door, but Mamoru twisted around.

'Who…?' he began.

'Some idiot,' said Nagi, barring the door, 'but it doesn't matter. You're safe.'

'Yes.' Mamoru said. Then they heard voices from the outside.

* 

'Oh my GOD! MY GOD!'

There was the sound of a body hitting the floor, and a stifled shriek.

'Oh KEN YOU IDIOT! LOOK what I've done!'

*

Outside, Ken sat up stiffly.

Human Alishe stared at him blearily. Her eyes were full of tears.

'Why? Why did you do that, Ken? I could've killed you! I leapt meaning to kill!'

'Is that your mission? To kill Mamoru Takatori?'

Alishe didn't say anything.

'It is, isn't it?'

'So what if it is?'

*

Nagi listened closely, keeping one eye on his charge whom was sitting with his back against the door, also listening.

They heard a sigh.

'I'm sorry Alishe.'

'For WHAT?'

'I can't let you do it.'

There was a brief pause.

'What?' The voice was strained.

'I can't allow you to kill Mamoru Takatori, not while I'm around.'

Alishe screamed in frustration.

__

Does he think Mamoru still loves him, what an IDIOT!

'Why? WHY? Why do you protect him, even now? Even after what he did to you?'

'It was my fault I got put in jail.'

'I don't mean that and you bloody well know it. Now tell me why, Ken.'

There was another pause, then, 'I love him, Alishe.'

From outside came the sound of choking.

*

'HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU!' Alishe screamed, tears of anger now threatening to fall. _God, Ken, just get it through your head._

Ken looked up at her and rubbed his sore shoulder.

'I know.'

Alishe's mouth snapped shut, then fell open again, as she gasped, 'Then…Why?'

Ken didn't answer at once, but got shakily to his feet. He gave Alishe a smile.

'I don't care if he doesn't love me, Alishe, surely you must have realised that?'

'How…How can you…?How can you not care? It doesn't work that way!'

'Beats me,' said Ken, casting about for a way out. He spotted one and made his way towards it. Alishe trailed him.

'But…!'

'Please, Alishe, I'm tired, and chasing you around hasn't helped. I have explained this to you.'

Sensing danger had been alleviated, Nagi stepped out into the corridor, his gun raised. His impassive face gave nothing away.

Alishe turned.

'Do you think we're going to let you walk out of here?' he said coldly, 'after you attempted to murder Takatori-san?'

Ken felt Alishe tense, and tightened his grip on her arm. Nagi could kill her before she'd taken one step.

'And you, Siberian. In trouble again.'

Ken said nothing.

'You leave him out of this!' barked Alishe, with a hint of a snarl, 'I came to kill _Takatori-san_, and I worked alone, so let him go!'

'You'll both be taken into custody,' said Nagi, as the backup team arrived and lined up behind him. 'We take assaults on Takatori-san's safety _very _seriously.'

Alishe watched as they were bound and dragged away. Particularly she noticed how Ken simply held out his hand to be bound.

__

There's no fight left in him. He's been drained dry. And Takatori is the one who did it.

She glanced over at the man, her eyes burning with vicious hatred. If he noticed, he didn't react.

__

One day, some day, Takatori, you'll pay for what you did to him.

*********************************************************************************************

Ohh Long chapter this time, thanks for sticking with it. I actually wrote this chapter at the very start, before any of the others, so now you know, and if anyone asks, 'Hey I wonder which chapter of Afterglow Felflowne wrote first?' and someone else says, 'Oh it'll be the first one, won't it?' you can leap in and show them how clever you are, yes, yes you are *patpat*

Charlie: Um, patronisation loses readers.

Felflowne: Uh oh!


	9. 9 We will become evil itself

****

Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

****

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 9

__

We will become evil itself

'Ken?'

Ken turned toward the girl.

'Yes?'

'Why the _fuck_ did you come after me?'

He sighed.

'Are you insane? Is that it? Are you goddamned unhinged? Look at me!'

She grabbed his head and twisted it around so he was facing her.

'Look at you,' she hissed, 'and look what you've turned into! A shell! Where's the friendly, emotional, fiery guy who I used to know?'

Ken didn't answer. He rested his head back against the wall.

They were in a cell, which had obviously never been used before. It was basically a small, pale room with a heavy door on it. There was no furniture, and the lighting was flickering slightly.

'It's like you died, Ken… Who are you now?'

She was still talking, and she was evidently quite upset, but Ken didn't understand why. He hadn't shouted, nor lost his temper, so how was this a bad thing?

**

'Is it necessary? She said she was working alone.'

The three men walked in a triangle shape, with the shortest of them slightly behind the other two. Junochiro Kadachi had been speaking.

Now, his superior, Sora Shiguru, replied.

'And you take her word for it? This is _standard procedure _my lad, and when you've been in Kritiker as long as I have, _then _you can question my methods.'

'You gentlemen please proceed,' came the quiet voice of someone who was superior to both of them from behind, 'I'll open the door and have someone escort Miss Merrose to see you.'

The two men bowed respectfully.

'Yes, Takatori-san.' They walked on. Mamoru reached in his pocket for the key, but then something he heard made him pause.

**

'It's because of Takatori, isn't it?' asked Alishe, her anger finally dissipating and being replaced by pleading, 'Takatori's the reason you're like this… Or is it… Do you hate me because I tried to kill him?'

'No,' said Ken, 'I get your motives.'

'So let me get this straight,' said Alishe in a defeated voice, 'you love this guy, right?'

'Right.'

'And he doesn't love you?'

'It would seem not.'

'And you don't care?'

'No.'

Alishe took a deep breath.

'Tell me,' she said slowly, 'is there anything this boy could possibly do to make you stop loving him?'

Ken thought.

**

On the other side of the door, Mamoru tensed. He shouldn't be listening to this, this was private… But it was about him. He rubbed his chest absentmindedly, noting how his heart rate had accelerated, creating a kind of ache there.

__

Good God, what am I thinking? What's happening?

**

'No, nothing.' Ken said with an air of absolute finality.

Alishe sighed.

'Well he sure as heck doesn't deserve someone like you. I've said it before, and I'll say it again.'

**

Mamoru swallowed and leant his head silently on the door.

Ken would love him no matter what he did.

It made him feel like dirt.

Shaking himself to try and stop the trembling that had started to attack his wrists and fingers, he slid the key into the lock.

**

Nagi escorted Alishe to the interrogation room. She displayed no outward emotion, but Nagi could sense her fear. It was bizarre, because usually it was only a vague feeling, but here, it was so clear he could have been in her shoes himself. He could almost hear what she was thinking, which shocked him, as that wasn't an ability he'd been aware he had.

The door was opened, and Alishe walked in with no nudging, her head held high. Nagi did not enter the room, but settled down in a nearby chair ready to escort her back to the cell, and to help her walk if necessary. It was not unheard of for prisoners to be thusly afflicted.

He heard the bolt on the door of the soundproof room scrape closed.

** 

Mamoru finished his work for the day early, and sat about for a bit wondering what he should do next. Why had he hurried so?

He didn't think interrogating Alishe would give them any useful information. If she was a rogue, as Nagi had suspected, then she would have indeed worked alone.

Vacantly, he rose to his feet and left the room.

He'd gotten used to his job now, he could do it without any of the old pangs of regret or sadness, but was this a good thing or a bad thing.

It was good because feelings and weaknesses had no place in a job like this.

It was bad because sometimes he didn't feel human anymore.

He stopped walking and looked around.

He was standing outside the makeshift cell.

__

Why did I come here?

Suddenly about a thousand questions he wanted to ask the man inside exploded inside his head.

__

No, don't go in there… Go to bed instead, you're tired.

Can't remember the last time I admitted that…

But in his inattentiveness, his hand had slipped into his pocket and retrieved the key. Looking at it, the internal arguments seemed to fade.

'Alright,' he sighed.

**

Outside Alishe's interrogation room, Nagi was reading a paper again, when someone crept up behind him and smashed something hard and heavy into the back of his head.

**

Ken looked up as the door opened.

'Hello? Who's…?'

His voice died as Mamoru walked into the room and closed and locked the heavy door behind him.

'Can I talk to you?' Mamoru asked in a businesslike way.

'Uh…yeah, sure,' Ken answered incoherently.

The other boy walked over to him and sat down next to him, a respectable distance between them.

'How's your shoulder?'

'Huh? Oh, fine I guess…er…'

__

Wahey! Blind him with your verbal prowess Ken! Not.

'I'm sorry.'

Mamoru jumped a bit.

'What for?'

'If I hadn't been such a total prat I could have figured out what Alishe was planning earlier and stopped her.'

'Why did she come to kill me?'

'I don't know,' answered Ken truthfully.

**

Nagi landed on the floor of the corridor, pain and fear rushing through him.

__

How did someone creep up on me?

He managed to lift his head a little. The corridor was empty. He put his hand to his head, and it came away clean and dry. There was no wound, nor, he realised, prodding with his fingers, was there any mark at all.

**

Ken cleared his throat.

'So, er, how have you been?'

Mamoru looked up to find Ken looking at him expectantly.

'I've settled into the job,' he said levelly, 'and I'm confident I can fulfil my duties adequately.'

Ken sighed quietly.

'Fine, you don't want to talk to me, but I can still ask… How are _you_?'

Mamoru blinked.

'Ah. Good. I'm good.'

'Right,' said Ken glumly, 'I'm glad.'

**

Nagi climbed back into his chair. Had he just had a migraine? Was that what they were like?

__

No, it felt **exactly **as though someone hit me from behind.

No sooner had he had this thought than a ripping pain scored itself down his back and a scream echoed around his head, one that he hadn't heard.

Leaping out of his chair and pressing his back against the wall to stop the throbbing pain, Nagi was forced to listen to the scream bouncing around his head time after time.

__

What's happening to me…?

**

__

Well **this **is exciting, thought Ken despondently, _bet you didn't figure **this **was how your reunion would go…_

Actually, I had a pretty good idea…

'Um…' Mamoru shifted uncomfortably against the wall, '…I suppose I ought to tell you that I heard what you and Bengal were talking about before I came in earlier.'

Ken struggled to remember what they had been talking about, but then it came back to him. They'd been talking about Mamoru.

'Oh that, well, doesn't bother me.'

'Doesn't?'

'Nope.'

'But you said…'

Mamoru trailed off. Just **what **did he want Ken to say? That none of it was true? That he didn't love him anymore? Did he **want **to hear him deny it? Why was he pushing him?

'I know what I said.'

'I think Bengal is right.'

'I knew you would.'

'And you know me, do you?'

'I used to.'

Mamoru winced. It hurt because it was true.

** 

Alishe screamed, unable to hold it in her head anymore. She was dying, this was it.

'I don't know anything!' she yelled, 'it's true, I swear!'

'Well call us crazy but we aren't just gonna take your word for it like that,' said the taller of the two men, snapping his fingers to accompany the word 'that'.

'But…it's true…'

'Try again, Juno.'

This time the pain nearly knocked her unconscious, and for a few hazy moments, she was floating, away from the pain. A little hand reached out to her.

__

'Naworu…' she whispered, reaching out, but then a splash of ice cold water shattered the dream.

**

'I won't try to defend what I did. I don't need to,' said Mamoru mechanically, 'because I did what was needed. There's no shame in that.'

Ken didn't answer at once, but appeared to be thinking. When he did answer, it was in a sad voice.

'You're not okay, are you?'

This one sentence caused such a reaction in Mamoru that it scared him. It was as though someone had punched him and brought tears to his eyes. He blinked incredulously.

__

How can he affect me like this?

**

'Who's Naworu?' cried Sora triumphantly. '**Now** we're getting somewhere!'

'Naworu…' sobbed Alishe, 'help me…'

**

'I don't see how it matters to you,' he said practically.

Ken looked up at him.

'Are you nuts? Have you **actually **gone mental? Of course it matters to me!'

'Why?'

'Because I love you,' said Ken simply, and utilising the shocked reaction this caused, quickly continued, 'and that means I care whether or not you're happy.'

'Happy?' said Mamoru bitterly.

'That's right.'

'You forfeit that here.'

'No job is worth that.'

'No! You're wrong!' cried Mamoru, jumping to his feet. Ken noticed with a kind of grim satisfaction that it was still within his capacity to **feel **about some things.

'This job is important! It's bigger than you or me….'

'You don't believe that.' Ken said in a low voice.

'I do!'

'Your eyes are saying, "help me".'

'Stop it!' gasped Mamoru, turning sharply away so Ken couldn't see his face.

**

The pain in his back had subsided enough for him to pull away from the wall now, but Nagi was feeling increasingly uneasy.

Then it happened again.

__

'…woru…help…'

He looked up and down the corridor in alarm, but he knew deep down the words were in his head.

He stumbled as another blinding bolt of pain hit him from the side.

__

'It's the interrogation! I can feel it! Gotta stop it!'

He pulled himself upright and hammered on the door with all the strength he could muster.

**

Ken hated himself. As he looked at the other boy who had his back to him, he realised just how much the person he'd known as Omi was having to deal with.

'I'm sorry,' he said quietly.

Mamoru didn't answer.

'I had no right to talk to you like that.' 

Mamoru turned.

'I'm so tired,' he said in a voice barely above a whisper. Taking a step forward, he unintentionally displayed this by tripping over his own feet.

**

'Wait, what's that noise?'

'Someone's banging on the door,' said Junochiro, glad of the interruption.

'Open it and tell them to get lost,' grunted Sora, 'we're making progress.'

Junochiro frowned. He opened the door, but no one ever knew if he would _actually _have obeyed Sora or not, because as soon as the locks slid back, a lean brown-haired boy was in the room before Juno could stop him.

'S-Sir?' asked Sora, eyes widening as he recognised Nagi.

Nagi nodded to both of them.

'This ends now,' he said coldly, 'this girl has no useful information, cease molesting her at once.'

'Y-Yes sir, stuttered Sora, dropping what he had been carrying and scuttling back a few steps.

'Please leave.'

'But Sir!'

'Now!' snapped Nagi, and he accompanied this order with a mental kick.

The two men scrambled out of the room.

** 

'Watch out!' cried Ken, jumping up and catching the boy before he could land flat on his face.

For a second nothing happened. Ken subconsciously tightened his arms around Mamoru, who did likewise to him. They sank to the floor, Ken still supporting the other boy.

'Tired…' said Mamoru in the same tiny voice, '…help me…'

Ken began to get the feeling that this conversation would one of those that never officially happened as far as Kritiker was concerned.

Ken moved so his back was against the wall.

'You okay?' he asked after a long time, quite content just to hold and support his friend, and let him know he was cared about.

Mamoru shook his head against him, and Ken understood. Here, instead of answering the question, 'Are you okay or did you hurt yourself?' which was the one he had just asked, Mamoru had decided to answer his earlier question of 'Are **you **okay?'.

He'd already known that he wasn't.

Just then, Mamoru seemed to shake himself.

'Ken, no.' he said shortly, pulling back and sitting back down next to Ken, at the same respectable distance apart they'd been before.

**

'They didn't hurt you too much did they?' Nagi asked. The girl had pulled herself into a sitting position.

'You!' she exclaimed, absently touching her shoulder, 'Takatori's bodyguard! Why did you help me?'

'Because you asked me to.'

'No…I…'

'Listen to me. Did they do something to your back?'

Alishe nodded, her eyes bright with fear.

Nagi sighed.

'I don't understand why,' he said slowly, 'but I could feel what they were doing to you.'

Alishe looked shell-shocked.

'But…But how?'

Nagi shook his head. 'I don't know.'

'I…I called out for help…' said Alishe, her words sticking together in their hurry to get out, 'I called my brother…'

'Was he involved in this?'

'No… he's… he's gone!'

'Where?'

'I… I don't know. We got separated when we were very young… It was all my fault… I was supposed to… Naworu…'

'Was that his name?'

'Yes.'

'Why are you telling me this?' Nagi was astounded.

'I… I don't know… I just feel… I can trust you…'

'But I shot you before… and it hurt then too,' said Nagi, remembering.

**

There was no more talk for a long time, and when Ken glanced over at Mamoru again, he realised he was nodding.

__

He'll fall asleep soon, ah well, he deserves to rest.

As soon as he was sure Mamoru was completely asleep, Ken got up quietly and removed the light bulb, as there was no light switch on the inside of the cell.

There was a window with bars, 'though, but that wasn't much help in turning lights off.

He settled down next to Mamoru again, and let sleep claim him as well.

**

'I'll take you back to the cell,' said Nagi standing up and reaching out a hand. Alishe stared at it.

'Where did you get this?' she asked quietly, pointing to a little indentation on his hand.

'Uhh what? Oh that. I've always had that, as far as I know.'

'Naworu had one in exactly the same place…' said Alishe, as if she couldn't believe this was happening.

For once, Nagi didn't know what to think. He laughed weakly.

'Is it…you? Naworu?'

'I… heard you in my head…' he said helplessly. She smiled.

'We used to talk to each other like that all the time,' she said softly, 'do you remember?'

Nagi began to shake his head, but then he stopped.

******

__

'Naworu! If you run off I'll never find you!'

'Bleh, onay-chan, gotta catch me!'

'Otohto-chan, don't do this!'

Naworu was grabbed from behind.

'Oh man! You got me!'

'I'm bigger than you.'

'We'll be okay on our own, we don't need anyone, right? Alishe-chan?'

He looked up. His sister was crying.

'O-Okah-san…'

'Alishe-chan, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry… I miss Mum too… Sorry…'

But then his sister had hugged him with renewed fervour.

'I can't lose you too, got that?'

'Yes…'

******

Nagi looked up at the girl again.

'Onay…ch-chan?'

'Hai!' She threw her arms around him, but then he felt the pain sweep across her back again, so pulled back.

'I-I'm sorry,' she gasped, but he shook his head.

'I'm taking you to the sanatorium, no arguments. Don't lie to me, that really hurt.'

She nodded, although now she was beginning to lose consciousness. As she flopped down to the floor he heard her say, 'I've found you… otohto-chan…'

Nagi picked her up easily and carried her away.

*********************************************************************************************

Hmm, trust me to leave this chapter till second to last, twas a veritable bitch to write, but joy, tis done now…

Only two more chapters to go!

Love

Fel

xx


	10. 10 The impossible is often the untried

****

Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

****

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 10

__

The impossible is often the untried

Ken woke up first. The pattern of the morning light through the bars confused him for a second… then he remembered where he was. He was at Kritiker, and…

To his amazement he felt something shift slightly against him. He turned and nearly choked.

__

Omi?

Mamoru appeared to have fallen asleep on him. His head was on Ken's shoulder and one hand lay unconsciously over Ken's own. He was completely out of it.

__

He's so tired… I wonder if he actually has the time to sleep anymore?

Ken resisted the temptation to touch the boy, however much he wanted to. It would be so simple too, just to reach forward and brush his cheek… No!

This was not good. Mamoru could not wake up this way. As much as it warmed Ken's heart to see that some part of his love remained, he had to gently ease him away.

His heart seemed to jump into three four time as the other boy protested sleepily to being laid on the ground.

'Ken…' he whispered drowsily, '…cold…come back…'

But his hand did not reach out. He seemed to be waking up. Ken sagged with relief. He had removed Mamoru from his side just in time, although his warmth remained, mocking him almost.

'Huh?' Mamoru blinked adorably in the couple of seconds before he was completely awake. Ken made a mental note to remember how he'd looked just then, and recall it if he ever needed confirmation that Mamoru _was _human, after all.

Mamoru was awake now. He looked around him and remembered where he was. He cast a glance at the prisoner, who was now sat looking toward the window, although he could not see out of it.

'What time is it?' he asked. Ken looked at his watch.

'Seven thirty,' he replied, and Mamoru nodded.

'I fell asleep here. I must've been talking far too much last night.' He involuntarily raised his hand to his shoulder.

__

It's so warm… Why, when the floor is cold?

Ken looked at him.

'I think you needed to talk to someone.'

Mamoru had no answer for that, so instead he busied himself unlocking the door.

__

No, not just anyone… I wanted to talk to **you** so badly… No, that's not true. I'm fine on my own. I can cope. I'm not a child.

Repeating these last three phrases inside his head like mantras, he opened the door, and went to walk away before Ken called him.

'Where's Alishe?'

Mamoru turned.

'In the sanatorium.'

It wasn't a guess. He wished he'd had more control over her interrogation. It hadn't been necessary to use all the methods. He didn't even think she had any useful information.

Ken looked confused.

'The what?'

'The san. A type of sick bay.'

At this Ken guessed what kind of interrogation they had used. Anger rose in him, but he managed to keep his voice level as he asked, 'Can I see her?'

__

No, he can't. He's not allowed out of here! Don't let your weakness cloud your judgement! He's a **prisoner**! Not free to come and go as he pleases!

It took quite some effort to ignore all of that.

Mamoru nodded.

**

Alishe opened her eyes as the door banged open.

'Ah, it appears that my roommate is up.' She grinned weakly.

Her head was wrapped in bandages, which extended down over her left eye. Her right eye seemed swollen and there was a bruise appearing on her neck.

__

Scum, thought Ken furiously, _You scum to do this to her…_

'I know what you're thinking, but actually I got off easy…' Her voice trailed off. Ken was amazed. She looked positively blissful.

'Something good happen, hmm? Hmm?' He asked curiously, but Alishe shook her head.

'I'll tell you later… maybe.'

'What are they going to do with us?' asked Ken, looking around.

'We're letting you go.'

Ken turned. Mamoru and Nagi were in the doorway. Alishe turned to Ken.

'I'm abandoning my mission, Ken. I can never get the person I want... he's dead. I need to move on.'

Ken nodded, still unsure as to what exactly was going on.

'You're letting us go?' He asked incredulously, 'after what happened?'

'What happened was a misunderstanding,' said Mamoru calmly, 'Nagi has explained the situation to me.'

Ken snorted.

'Wish someone would explain it to _me_.'

'Alishe-san needs to stay here for a bit until she's healed enough,' said Mamoru, and unless Ken's ears deceived him, there was a trace of feeling in his voice now that hadn't been there last night.

__

Omi…if only you were Omi-kun to me again…

He shook his head, not to disagree but to dislodge the annoying thought.

'You promise you'll let her go?'

Mamoru nodded.

Ken turned to Alishe, still worried.

'Are you…?'

Alishe laughed.

'Ken-kun, stop worrying! I'll be fine… I trust them.'

Ken eyes widened. This _was _a turnaround.

'Go home, the microwave's probably missing you,' she added in a typically off-the-wall fashion.

Ken nodded. She was really okay. He didn't understand why, but she was so happy it was as if a light was shining out from inside. He stood up, and smiled.

'Alright. I'll see you when you get back.'

'Great,' she said, 'leave the cat-flap open, I think I've lost my key.'

**

A short while later, Mamoru escorted Ken to the front door. Ken stepped out of the door quickly, expecting it to be slammed behind him, but it wasn't. What was more, Nagi had not come with Mamoru, he was nowhere to be seen.

Mamoru held out his hand, and Ken, confused, took it.

They shook hands. Mamoru gripped his very hard, although his expression didn't change. Then he stepped back and shut the door.

Ken sighed and began to walk towards home.

**

Mamoru began to walk back towards his office, but as he walked he reached into his pocket and withdrew a handkerchief and rubbed his hands, as if he were cleaning off some dirt.

** 

It was only when he'd fought his way into the apartment and sat down that he noticed.

Reaching for the remote, Ken noticed that his hand had left a blue smear on the sofa. Confused, he turned his right hand over, and his eyes simply refused to believe it.

On his palm, smudged but readable, was an address and a time. The writing was clumsy, as if…

As if it had been written backwards, which of course it had.

Ken peered closer at the address, yes, he knew where that was.

__

Mamoru gave me this address… He wants to meet me? Why didn't he just ask? Maybe he was being watched. Very clever…

He swallowed. He didn't know how to feel, but then decided on happy. He didn't care how Mamoru felt about him… He just loved being near him. Maybe he could get a job at Kritiker… No, he didn't want to have anything to do with Kritiker anymore…

Maybe… Maybe then, this was the last chance he would have to speak to Mamoru alone.

That had to be it.

The address was on the other side of town. With no means of transport except his own steam, Ken supposed he had better go now.

As he slammed the door to, he wondered what was going to happen when he got to his destination…

**

Ken checked and re-checked the address when he arrived.

__

Good god… This place is enormous…

He rang the doorbell, feeling very awkward. This was not helped by the fact that he didn't recognise the woman who opened the door. She wore traditional Japanese costume, and Ken assumed she was a type of maid, which she was.

'Konban wa,' she said, bowing, 'please do come in.'

He returned the greeting and stepped inside. As soon as the door was closed the lady turned and walked away. Apparently she was not concerned with what people did after they came in, as her job was just to greet them and let them inside. 

As Ken was wondering what he should do now, another figure emerged from a side door. This person was wearing a less traditional green shirt and jeans. It was Mamoru.

For a second nothing happened, they just stared at each other.

'Um.' Ken said finally, utterly bewildered, 'was I supposed to come here?'

'I hoped that you would,' said Mamoru simply. He turned.

'Please follow me,' he added.

Ken did so, trying not to think of how close they were. This could not be good for his mental health.

He was distracted momentarily by Mamoru opening some sliding doors. Outside them was an amazing garden.

__

Wow…

He followed his guide for a while (the garden seemed to go on forever) until they reached some trees that were covered in blossom. Here, Mamoru sat down. Ken copied him. This slight bump set what seemed like millions of petals into downward, spiralling motions.

Ken watched as the blossom traced infinitely complex patterns in the air.

'This place is beautiful,' he said in a complimentary tone. The other boy looked up.

'I don't notice it.'

'Too busy?'

'Something like that.'

They both watched a small fountain for a while.

Eventually, and surprisingly, it was Mamoru that broke the uncomfortable silence.

'I'm sorry, Ken-san. I really don't know what to say.'

Ken looked amused, despite himself.

'Well you can drop the -san, for starters. I've gotten used to being called "hey you" by most people.'

'What's prison like?' Now he sounded almost like a little boy.

'It's whatever you make it,' said Ken, leaning back against a tree. It was odd, he reflected, how relaxed he felt here.

'For some it's their worst nightmare, but for others, they deal with it.'

'Did you deal?'

'Most of the time.'

There was a pause.

'Ken?'

'Yes?'

'Why do you still love me?'

Ken swallowed.

__

That was the reason he called me here…

'I'm afraid I don't have the strength to just stop short. I don't think I'll ever have the strength to stop. I suppose I'm just pathetic.'

After a brief silence, Mamoru said, 'no.'

Ken looked up.

'No, you're not pathetic, not at all. You're strong… So much stronger than I am.'

'Mamoru-sama…' Ken began, but the other boy seemed to flinch.

'Just…don't!'

Ken looked away again.

__

He flinched away from me… He actually did…What did I do…? What did I do to make him hate me so much…?

He blinked away tears shamefully.

'I'm sorry,' said Ken sadly, 'I don't know what I did to hurt you.'

'Just…Just Omi is fine,' said the boy quietly.

Ken blinked dumbly, 'Omi?'

'Yes. Please call me that, not Mamoru.'

'Yes, of course…but…' he laughed softly. Omi turned.

'What is it?'

Ken smiled, 'Omi-sama sounds really odd, you know? But I'll get used to it.'

To this, Omi shook his head.

'You don't need the -sama either, really.'

'But that would seem like you were…' Ken stopped. He couldn't finish that sentence.

__

What are you going to say? 'Like you were my Omi again?' Get real.

He realised that he had just stopped with his mouth open so he shut it with an almost audible snap.

Omi didn't ask him what he'd been about to say, but simply closed his eyes and leaned back until he was lying down, facing the sky.

'What have I become, Ken?'

Ken looked at him.

'The strong unifying leader that Kritiker needs. I'm sure it couldn't function without you.' He said, although he wasn't sure where the words had come from.

Omi opened his eyes.

'Really?'

Ken nodded unsurely.

Omi closed his eyes again.

'That's really what you think?'

'Umm…' Ken felt like he was way out of his depth, then he had an idea.

'Yeah, sure. You can do this stuff. Be the leader, hold everyone together, as well as being a politician.'

He was tempted to add, 'Or whatever the hell it is you are', but decided against it.

'You're _smart._ Just a minute ago I felt I had no idea what you were talking about…Although…'

Here, Ken smiled wistfully.

'…I suppose you don't have to be _too _smart for me not to understand what you're on about. This is me, after all.'

Omi didn't react to this speech in any way other than opening his eyes and saying, 'So, if that's all true, _who _have I become?'

Ken looked at his hands, which were clasped, in his lap.

__

He's doing it again. What is he on about?

'Who have we all become? I wonder… I wonder is it was the people we thought we'd become when we were children.'

'I was never a child,' Ken said bluntly, 'and the only way I thought ahead was along the lines of, "If I get back alive tonight, I wonder what I'll have for breakfast tomorrow". None of this deep stuff.'

Omi looked at him and for the first time in a long while his gaze seemed softer.

'Hmm…Yes. Life on the edge. How are you coping without it?'

'It was bliss,' said Ken simply.

'So why did you follow Alishe that night? You must have known where she was going.'

'I did, and that's why I followed her. I knew she was after you.'

'Ken!' snapped Omi fiercely, 'I had people covering my back. You didn't need to go…to get involved…'

'I knew you would underestimate her. She's a Weiss. I knew what she was capable of.'

'You…saved my life.'

Ken shrugged.

'You'd've got out of it, but you'd've hurt her, and I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself, knowing I could have prevented it.'

'You care too much…' said Omi, but then he seemed to choke, '…no, that's not it. I care too little.'

'You don't need to care…' said Ken, but inside he'd reached the same conclusion as the boy lying next to him.

'To care is to be human. Am I even human anymore? _Can _Persia be human?'

'Yes.'

Omi looked at him, a trace of sadness creeping into the corners of his eyes.

'I don't think you understand this.'

Ken had stayed calm for too long. Being this close to the boy, having to resist the urge to touch him, all these things he was saying…

'This? And just what is 'this'? What is it?'

His curtness alarmed Omi, who looked up at the sky worriedly.

'Are you talking about loneliness?'

'I guess. In a way…'

'Hah! Yes, you're right. I don't know anything about being alone and having no one to talk to. I was only in prison for what seemed like forever!'

Omi looked stunned. Maybe Ken _did _understand. Maybe he had found someone who could save him.

'When I'm Persia, it's like a part of me dies, and it's the part I guess I like the most…'

'The part with feelings?' snapped Ken.

Omi sighed.

'I'm sorry. If this is upsetting you…'

'Oh no you don't!' yelled Ken. In one movement he leant over and pulled Omi up so he faced him.

'Not again. You're doing it again! The _very _thing you were just talking about!'

Omi blinked, and Ken loosened his grip on the other boy's shirt.

__

Damn, I touched him. This isn't good.

'Sorry,' he muttered gloomily. But Omi wasn't listening. Ken was right. He _had _just slipped back into a different mindset. One he didn't like.

'Listen Ken, this is important.' Ken removed his hand completely from Omi's shirt.

'You walk out of here. Don't look back. I don't want you to ever think about me again, alright? No!'

Ken had tried to interrupt.

'No, listen. You said life without fear was bliss, well, I want you to be happy. You _will _be happy, Ken. Just…'

'NO!' Ken was shaking, his fists clenched. 'You just don't get it! I CAN'T forget about you! EVER!'

Omi felt his heart seem to contract.

__

And in all honesty, neither could I.

Ken reached out and grabbed his shoulders, but this time Omi didn't flinch. He could sense that Ken had been suppressing that urge for a long time. The urge to touch him. He reached out with his own hand, slightly unsure, but placed it gently on the older man's cheek.

__

I've missed him… I realise it now…

For a second nothing happened. Then Ken pulled Omi towards him and hugged him tightly, his arms sliding securely about the other boy's waist. 

__

I can't… I just can't do it… I need him… I need to touch him… To know he's all right… I love him!

Omi shut his eyes.

__

This feeling, is it…warmth? Or something else?

He reached up and put both his arms around Ken's neck. Ken spoke shakily into his hair.

'I can't forget you, Omi. I love you. I love you too much.'

Omi stiffened slightly.

'Is that true? And you don't care if I don't love you?'

Ken ignored the stabbing pains, which seemed to pierce his body all over.

'No.'

'You liar. You're not God. Humans don't feel that way.'

'Goddamn you!' cried Ken, 'I try my goddamned hardest not to care!'

Omi sighed and relaxed slowly. Ken was confused.

__

What is he doing…? Uh oh…

Omi had just run his hand through his hair.

__

…Good god, don't do this…

'You…don't need to anymore, Ken.'

'Don't need to what?' His voice had dropped now.

'Don't need to try so hard not to care…because…I…'

Omi shifted so he could curl more securely against Ken, whose breath caught in his throat.

'…I never stopped loving you. Not really. I could disillusion myself as much as I liked, but it was still there. It'll…always be there, and you know what? I don't want it to go away.'

Ken was lost for words. Then something hit him.

'Kritiker…' he began, but the single word seemed to have the same effect on the other boy as a whiplash. He jerked violently, and sat up straighter so that he faced Ken.

'Ken, shut up!'

'No! It's important…'

'No! You're wrong! It's not! Right now I think it's the most insignificant thing there is!'

Ken gaped at him.

'You mean that? But if Kritiker's not the…'

He never got any further with that sentence, although he did come to the right conclusion, because Omi leaned forward and kissed him desperately.

God he had been wrong. Life without fear wasn't bliss, this was. It wasn't a memory. It was now. Omi was really here in his arms. Omi was really kissing him.

He tried to speak but decided against it. He slipped his arms more tightly around Omi as they kissed again.

'It's been…too long…' muttered Omi quietly as they separated, '…I'm so sorry…'

'Doesn't matter,' said Ken, as Omi curled up against him again, 'nothing matters now.'

__

But it will. I can't kid myself. This can't go on.

He dipped his head and lightly brushed the tips of their noses together. Omi looked up, and to Ken's delight, there was a sparkle in his beautiful eyes again.

'I…can't do this job anymore, Ken.' Omi said, leaning his head against Ken's hand as it trailed down his face, 'because nothing's worth not seeing you.'

'You're going mushy in your old age,' teased Ken, although the truth in those words touched him.

He was reprimanded for that by Omi shoving him over and pinning him to the ground. He smirked.

'I've also got taller and stronger, ha.'

'Neh…You're still a midget.'

'Shut up!' Omi dropped so he was lying on Ken again. Ken's arms hugged him closer as they began to kiss again. This time, though, the kisses were not so sweet and gentle.

'I…I want…' gasped Omi in a pause.

'What do you want, Omi?' said Ken, all traces of teasing gone. They got to their feet, and Omi took Ken's hand and gripped it tightly.

'The same thing you want.'

Ken looked around.

'Where?' 

Omi nodded towards a path.

'There's a guesthouse down there. It's always empty in springtime.'

Ken tightened his grip on Omi's hand, pulled him into his embrace again and kissed him tenderly.

'I love you.'

Omi smiled.

'I know. I love you too. For always. I think after what we've been through, we'll never stop, you know?'

'You never stop.'

'What?'

'Talking. Let's go.'

'Hey! I've got the key! You've got to be nice to me!'

Their bickering faded as they followed the path between the trees.

The swirling blossom closed after them as if they'd never been there.

*********************************************************************************************

Well, the long chapter bug strikes again, and finally, we're at the whole point of the story! The Ken Omi kawaii-ness! *sparkly eyes*

Everyone: Oh God

Charlie: *pokes with toe* Uh, Fel?

Fel: *is a puddle*

Kara: Eww! Fangirl puddle! *mops it up*

Fel: Eep!


	11. 11 Escape

****

Disclaimer - If I owned Gluhen I would decrease the damn angst by 80%. As it is, I do not and therefore cannot. 

This story takes place after Gluhen ends. I have not seen the episodes, but I have read synopses. Any mistakes I trust you will be kind about.

****

Afterglow

By Felflowne aka Espion

****

Chapter 11

__

Escape

'Sir?'

Grandfather Takatori looked up, his brow furrowing. A servant stood in the doorway.

'Yes?'

'It's your grandson Mamoru to see you, sir.'

'Very well, show him in.'

The servant exited and returned a second later with Omi following him. The he backed up to the door, bowed and left.

'What is it, Mamoru?' asked the old man. Omi decided to come straight out with it.

'I want to leave Kritiker.'

The man in the wheelchair nearly choked.

'Out of the question.'

'I'm afraid I'll just go anyway if you try and stop me,' said Omi matter-of-factly, 'I just thought it would be polite to inform you of my intentions.'

'You don't care if you leave Kritiker in ruins?'

'Don't give me that,' said Omi coldly, 'finding a new Persia will be simple. I only just found out that there was never any **real **necessity for me to take the role.'

'You're acting strangely, Mamoru,' said the old man slowly, 'what could be causing it?'

'No, I think I'm acting like me for the first time in a long time,' said Mamoru simply.

'And just who **are **you, Mamoru?'

'My real name may be Mamoru Takatori, but inside I feel like Omi Tsukiyono again.'

'The pathetic child!?'

'As you wish then, the child Omi.'

'Omi Tsukiyono isn't real! Shuichi created him to be a weapon in his Weiss!'

'That's not true,' said Omi coldly, 'Father cared about me greatly, he cared about all of us.'

'It was his downfall!'

'Yes, it was, but he was human to the end.'

'Why are you suddenly saying this Mamoru?' snapped his grandfather, refusing to call him by the name he had requested.

'The situation is different now.' Omi said simply.

Takatori thought. What **had** happened recently? They'd captured the girl who was trying to kill him, and the boy who was with her…

'That boy…'

'Who?'

'The one who came in with the girl you interrogated last night. You know him, don't you Mamoru?'

'Yes.'

Takatori thought harder.

'He was in Shuichi's Weiss too… yes… He's Siberian, isn't he?'

'That's right.'

Even with this new information Grandfather Takatori was at a loss to see how meeting the old acquaintance could have sparked such a change in his designated Persia. Up until now, Mamoru had dealt with anything and everything he'd come up against with admirable detachedness.

He reached down the side of his wheelchair and tapped a button. He couldn't just allow Mamoru to walk out of here. What if he told someone about them?

**

In a small room on the other side of the house, and red light flashed on the wall, and six men got up and walked out of the door. The boss was calling.

**

Ken leant on the wall outside the room Omi had just gone into. He was a little worried, but squashed it, scolding himself that if Omi had dealt with everything life had thrown at him so far, then he'd be able to cope with a little bit of family confrontation.

He'd heard raised voices a couple of times, but it had always been the old man. Ken smirked slightly. He knew how infuriating Omi could be if he wanted to, and now he had the added advantage of being able to stay completely calm. Ken knew from experience just how annoying _that _was. 

Omi hadn't let him go in with him, although he'd pleaded to be there as a bit of moral support. He smiled, remembering what had been said.

****

__

'If you're going in to see him let me come too! I can back you up!'

'It's alright Ken,' Omi said, snuggling closer to him, 'you'll be with me anyway…'

'What?'

'I'll just remember exactly how I feel right now, then that'll carry me through.'

'As long as you're su…'

Omi cut him off by gently brushing his lips against Ken's, eliciting a gasp from the older boy.

'Trust me like I trust you, please?' he asked, resting his head on Ken's shoulder.

'H-How can I say 'no' now, huh?'

Omi smiled, then giggled.

'Thanks, Ken-kun!'

****

Ken looked up sharply, jerked out of the happy memory by the sound of heavy boots tramping across the delicate carpets of the mansion.

**

'You can trust me not to tell anyone about Kritiker, Oji-san, why would I want to? It would just drag me back here.'

Takatori's eyes narrowed. He was confused. He _still _didn't understand why Mamoru was acting like this, until an abstract thought he'd had earlier and dismissed returned.

'You and that boy…' he growled, treading unfamiliar territory, 'you're not…'

'Not what?'

But Takatori couldn't bring himself to just say it. He didn't want to admit to himself that his grandson was mentally ill, or severely twisted.

But, he reasoned, looking up, he didn't _look _like he was either of these things.

No, he countered, it was against God's law, and it was a sin, a terrible sin.

'May God have mercy on you, Mamoru,' he said quietly.

Now it was Mamoru's turn to be confused.

'I'm sorry?'

**

'Who are you?' one of the men who'd just arrived asked Ken. He grinned.

'No-one, really.'

The man attempted to enter the room, but before he knew what was happening, he was flat on his back. He looked up in horror.

'I don't know why you guys want to go in there,' said Ken conversationally, stretching his fingers, 'but I would say it's really not worth it.'

The crew looked at each other, then at the smiling young man who stood between them and the door.

They decided it really wasn't worth it.

'It's not like he pays us, anyway,' one of them grumbled as the wandered away.

Ken watched them go. Maybe this was one of those things he really should have thought through more, but then, he countered, if those men had been heading from the room he was standing outside of, then they must have been called by Takatori.

Judging by the type of mood inside that room, he wasn't betting on them being asked to bring tea.

'Ah, well,' he murmured to himself, leaning back against the wall again, 'maybe I helped, maybe I didn't.'

**

'I said may God forgive you your sins Mamoru!' shouted the old man, half-rising from his chair. He grabbed out and caught hold of a glass ornament and hurled it.

It flew wide and hit the wall, shattering.

**

As soon as Ken heard the noise he leapt away from the wall and grabbed the door handle.

**

Inside the room, Omi knew that once Ken heard that he would come in. He didn't blame him. If the situation had been opposite he would've done the same.

Sure enough, the handle turned and Ken came in, glancing at him anxiously to see if he was alright.

Omi nodded to show he was fine, then braced himself for the next tirade that was surely coming.

'How dare you Mamoru!? How dare you defy God in such a way, after all the blessings he has given you!'

Ken looked at Omi in confusion. He'd been defying God?

'And you!' Takatori cried, pointing at Ken, 'this is your fault! This would never have happened if it hadn't been for you!'

'Be quiet!' snapped Omi, stung into a reply by his grandfather's attack on the boy he loved.

'Never!' cried the old man, getting more and more worked up. Ken went to walk over to Omi, but he held up a hand to stop him. Omi had figured out what the old man was talking about now.

He was angry because Omi was gay. This was really odd. Omi had never had to face such blatant hatred before. His grandfather seemed aflame with what was to him righteous anger.

'Oji-san,' he said pleadingly, 'please calm down, you'll hurt yourself!'

'I'll take no advice from you!' cried the old man, wheezing slightly, 'you disgust me! Abomination! Freak!'

This time no amount of hand waving could have stopped Ken from walking over to Omi. Omi sagged gratefully against him as Ken put a hand on his shoulder.

'How can you speak to your grandson that way?' he asked coldly.

'Shut up!' screamed Takatori, 'Get out of here! He is no longer my grandson! I disown you! Get out of my sight!'

'You're disowning me?' asked Omi quietly.

'Yes! Go back to being that snivelling child for all I care! Just get out! I don't need filth like you in here!'

Omi stepped forward, away from Ken, and bowed.

'Thank you,' he said sincerely, and ignoring the rest of the man's abuse, he reached out his hand to Ken, who took it, and they walked out of the room.

**

'This is where you live?'

'Yeah, it's not much, but it's home.'

Nagi looked around.

'Home?'

'Yeah, you know, home. Where your heart is, and all that?'

He looked at her blankly.

'Okay, home is where there are people that love you.'

This time he smiled slightly.

'Yes, so home can be anywhere.'

'You've got it!'

'I'm leaving Kritiker,' said Nagi quietly, after a pause.

'Good,' said Alishe sincerely, 'what are you going to do now?'

'I don't know,' he said honestly, 'I don't want to be far from home again.'

'Oh…' she sighed, as he enfolded her in another big hug, 'me neither.'

**

Ken and Omi didn't speak until they were standing outside the mansion, just held each other's hand tightly.

As soon as they were a safe distance away, Ken pulled Omi against him, slid his arms comfortingly around him and whispered, 'Are you alright, koi?'

Omi nodded.

'I never expected him to react quite like that,' he said, and despite his calm face, Ken could feel him shaking slightly.

'Come here,' he said, and pulled him closer, dipping his head so he could kiss Omi.

Omi relaxed into it. The kiss was soft and reassuring. Ken was trying to make him feel better. As soon as he felt suitably calmed, he leant upwards more, pressing his lips more firmly against Ken's and flicking his tongue out to tickle his lips.

Ken smiled against him and opened his mouth willingly, letting Omi decide what to do, and groaning slightly as Omi's tongue rubbed against his. He responded eagerly, pulling a similar noise from the other boy.

When they broke apart, they were both smiling.

'Happy?' asked Ken, tucking a bit of hair behind Omi's ear, and Omi nodded.

'Yes, thank you,' he said quietly. Ken slung an arm around his shoulders and got out a phone from his pocket with his other hand.

'I'll just call Alishe,' he explained, 'and ask if we can crash at hers tonight, okay?'

'Whatever you want is fine by me,' said Omi, as they started to walk.

**

The phone rang, and Alishe caught it on the third ring.

'Hello? Oh hi Ken… Sure! That's fine…No, no worries… Yes of course I'm sure… Oh go on with you… Yep, okay, see you in a few minutes.'

She hung up.

'Ken's bringing Omi back here,' said Alishe, by way of explanation to Nagi, who was sitting cross-legged on her sofa.

'Oh,' he said, 'I'm glad Mamoru-sama is going to recover… In my weaker moments I almost worried about him.'

'Worrying about people isn't a weakness, Nagi,' said Alishe patiently, 'it shows you care, and that's a sign of strength, at least I think so.'

He looked up.

'It's hard for me to think like that,' he said flatly, 'my ingrained instinct is every man for himself.'

'That's a shame,' said Alishe, sitting down next to him and retrieving the remote control from behind him and turning on the TV, 'but never mind. Hopefully you'll understand the benefits of caring about people soon.'

'Hope so,' said Nagi, and then, so suddenly it scared him, he had a mischievous idea.

Feigning innocence, he looked at the ceiling.

The channel changed.

Alishe bashed the remote on the arm of the sofa and changed it back. It jumped again, and then she twigged.

'Oh, ha ha ha, and in fact, ha. Very funny, now change it back.'

'Change what back?' asked Nagi, the master of keeping a straight face. Alishe mock-glared at him.

'Don't make me come over there,' she said, referring to the metre or so between them. She changed the channel back.

It changed again.

'Right! That's it! You're for it!' she laughed, throwing the remote away and diving at him.

He stopped her for a second, but she broke through the wall easily and tickled him mercilessly.

__

Oh no…I'd forgotten…I'm SO ticklish!

'Do you surrender?' she asked as he struggled to breathe.

'Never!' he cried and then collapsed into helpless laughter as she tickled him again.

It was then that a loud bang followed by a key turning in the lock signalled Ken and Omi's arrival. They walked in, and Alishe caught Ken explaining to Omi that the door stuck in the damp before they looked into the apartment.

'Um, are we disturbing some kind of family tradition?' said Ken, confused. Alishe had explained to him about her relationship with Persia's former bodyguard.

'Nope,' said Alishe happily, ' I was just establishing what happens to people who change the channel when I'm watching Banzai.'

'Ooh,' said Ken, wincing, 'ouch.'

**

'So we can really all stay here?' asked Nagi, 'that's really kind of you.'

'It's nothing,' said Alishe generously, 'stay as long as you want.'

It was 11.30, and although he tried to hide it, Ken could see that Omi was stifling yawns.

'I think I'll turn in,' he said, standing up. Omi looked at him gratefully and stood up too.

'Goodnight, you guys,' said Alishe, her eyes fixed on the computer game that her brother was beating her at.

'Goodnight,' they replied.

**

'Is this your room?' asked Omi, as Ken held the door for him.

'Yes, Alishe lets me sleep here.'

'Is that Nagi?' asked Omi, amazed, looking at the picture on the wall.

'Yeah,' said Ken, grinning, 'kawaii desu ne?'

'Hai!' agreed Omi, sitting down on Ken's bed and rubbing his eyes.

His fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.

'Do you have something I can borrow to sleep in?' he asked.

'Yeah, I've got a spare T-shirt somewhere,' said Ken, opening drawers, 'one moment.'

Omi continued to fight with the buttons on his shirt. _Stupid things._

He didn't notice Ken kneel down beside him, so jumped when his hand brushed his clumsy fingers aside and helped him with his shirt.

'Thanks…' he whispered, his voice trailing off as Ken pushed the shirt off his shoulders and down his arms, deliberately trailing his finger along the skin he uncovered.

'Ken…' said Omi breathlessly as Ken pulled his own T-shirt off over his head, messing up his hair.

Despite himself, Omi giggled and tried to flatten it. It had no effect. Ken smiled.

'Omi, it's useless, just give up now.'

'Alright,' said Omi, quite happy to do anything.

His breath caught again as Ken placed one hand on his chest, pushing him back.

He didn't have the chance to say anything else as Ken leant over him, rubbing his side and whispering, 'You're so beautiful…'

Omi blushed. He _always_ did whenever Ken said that.

'You only say that because you like to see me embarrassed,' he said dreamily, as Ken nuzzled him lovingly.

'Partly, yes, because it's just too cute, but mainly because you are.'

With astounding agility Omi suddenly wriggled free and flipped Ken over so that he was lying on his back. Omi grabbed both his hands with both of his own and held them down either side of his head.

'Cute, huh?'

Ken smiled.

'Impressive…' he said softly.

Omi dipped his head and captured Ken's lips with his own. Ken slipped his hands out of Omi's and placed them on Omi's back.

Omi deepened the kiss as he was pulled down by Ken's arms. No sooner did the kiss end than they kissed again and again, growing more passionate and less inhibited.

'Ken!' cried Omi, wriggling as he felt Ken's hands on his stomach.

'Shh…' Ken whispered, but hissed as Omi unconsciously drew his nails over his arm.

'Steady,' he soothed, trying to calm his lover, but the younger boy was beyond calming now.

'Don't you tell me to calm down,' yelped Omi. By now, his entire body was shaking.

Ken leant forward again so he was half lying on Omi.

'What do you want, Omi?' he asked quietly, drawing his hand slowly over the other boy's body.

Omi twisted around again so he could kiss Ken once more. When it broke, he spoke, in a voice more like a growl than anything else, and said, 'I want you.'

Ken nodded, and reached up and turned off the light.

**

__

'Mamoru… It is your duty… This is where you belong…'

Omi groaned. He'd had this dream so many times, and had always woken up from it feeling resigned and sad.

__

'You don't need love… you don't need anything… Anyway, what you need doesn't matter… This is your duty…'

'Yes…' he said sadly.

But just then, he felt a warmth spread through his body, as if someone had hugged him.

'Are you listening to us? Are you…'

But the voices faded into nothing, and the feeling of warmth and love just got stronger…

Omi woke up. He felt elated. He'd finally beaten that dream. He knew it would never come back. He reached out and discovered Ken had his arms around him. They'd fallen asleep that way.

Ken was still asleep. Omi reached up and lightly brushed some dark hair from his face. He looked so beautiful. Knowing that he wouldn't wake up for some time yet. Omi leant up and gently touched their lips together, before snuggling closer, perfectly at peace.

*********************************************************************************

Fel- *sobsob* It's finished! Aww man, I've really enjoyed writing this. And now it's finished. I go to France for nearly three months tomorrow, so I had to work like hell to finish it on time, but I did it! Woo!

If you've read this far PLEASE REVIEW! I worked my little English arse off to write this.

By the way, if anyone's disappointed that I didn't write a lemon, I have this to say to you. I'm amazed I managed to write what I did! It must come of being in an empty house, oh well *^_~* sorry guys!

Thanks to everyone who got me inspired! I'll see you all in September!

Love

Fel

xx


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